The Bender's Destiny
by SheDevil2050
Summary: Just as it was for two benders over a hundered years ago, a destiny was written for Zuko and Katara. Whether they choose to follow it, is up to their hearts. But will there lifes being in danger stop them from continuing further?
1. Her Fifteenth

Hello! SheDevil here writing a new story. I hope ya'll like it. It's a weird idea, but i think it'll be cool. Tell me if you like it! Oh and btw, this chapter presents alot of questions, but all of them... or most of them will be answered in the next chapter. So read it! YAY! Oh and by the way, if you don't like Zutara, then don't read this story. OK. Start Reading!

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As Sokka snored next to her and Aang sniffled in his sleep from his newly acquired cold across the campfire, Katara lie wide awake in thought. Tomorrow was her fifteenth birthday. 

Katara breathed a heavy sigh. She only wished she could see her mother. She missed her terribly. When ever she was depressed or had boy troubles or just wanted to talk, she was never there. Oazi was to blame for this, she knew, or maybe the Fire Lord before him, fire lord Azulon.

Katara didn't blink as she felt a lone tear roll down her cheek.

Suddenly Katara felt very tried, and dizzy. She closed her eyes and was instantly pulled into a deep sleep.

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Zuko was very tired, for he had not slept in days. He had been following the Avatar and had not yet allowed himself to sleep. He dragged his feet to his bedroll. 

He stepped beside it and dropped down onto it without even removing his clothes.

He was pulled into a deep sleep as soon as his head hit the rolll. Through his body went a falling sensation that slightly frightened Zuko. He opened his eyes and looked around. All around him was black. He was no longer tired and his mind began to process. He had only experienced this sensation once before, on his fifteenth birthday.

Finally Zuko could see the ground. He braced himself for the impact, but it never came. He came to a stop about a foot above the ground then dropped the rest, landing on his feet.

He glanced around quickly and realized were he was. He was in the spirit world. He had been there once before.

Zuko glanced around him. He was unsure about what was going to happen. There was nobody anywhere. He turned in a complete circle, there was still no one. As Zuko turned around to look were he was originally facing he yelped and jumped backward, falling into a puddle of oddly warm water. There was a woman facing him. She was beautiful.

She looked like royalty; her hair was braded elegantly and rapped around her head in and intricate design. She was jewels that shinned brighter than they should and she was wearing a long blue dress that just covered her feet. She was floating a few inches over the ground. Her skin was dark, her hair only a few shades darker, still lighter than Zuko's. Her feet hung lifelessly and her eyes were slowed. She seemed to be sleeping… or dead.

Zuko stood quickly and attempted to dry himself, his eyes never the maiden. He kept trying to heat himself before remembering that there was no bending in the spirit world. He cautiously approached the woman.

He stood there for what seemed like for ever, waiting for the woman to do something. He raised his hand to her cheek. He quickly pulled away. Her cheek was ice cold.

His touch seemed to have broken some kind of spell. For she instantly fell into the water, hard like a dead weight. Zuko rushed to her and lifted her out of the water. She moaned softly and opened her eyes. They were a deep cerulean blue.

"Are you O.K.?" Zuko hesitated. The girl nodded. She stood as if nothing had happened and shook her self, shivering.

"Hello, Zuko. You probably don't remember me. I have never met you, you have never met me… but you were told about me, about half a year ago.

Zuko instantly recognized her. She was just as he had described her. But Zuko also felt like he had seen her before… somewhere else. She looked so familiar…

"Naomi?" Zuko questioned, remembering her name. She smiled. Zuko was glad he had gotten it right. He had mentioned that she had a bit of a temper at times.

"Good, you remember. So I'm trusting that you also remember the talk Hideki had with you last time you saw him." She watched as Zuko stood.

"How could I forget?" Zuko wasn't kidding, the talk had proven his involvement in something bigger, and it had made him happy to know. Ever since his visit with Hideki he had been paying more attention to the people round him, just in case one was her…

"Good. Well I have good news. Tomorrow… or today, rather, is her fifteenth birthday. So obviously she is having a talk with Hideki as we speak." Zuko could catch the love in her voice when she said him name. It was a sweet sound.

She seemed so calm, but Zuko wanted to know more. "Well, who is she? Have I already met her? When will I meet her again? Will you tell her my name? Does she already know wh—" Naomi cut him off.

"I'm afraid I can not tell you or her anything. You will have to find her yourself." Zuko looked a little disappointed.

"But remember, she is hearing the same exact story as you did moons ago. She'll know about the scar. And she'll know that you are a fire bender." Naomi said sadly.

"Well why don't you just doom it for me!" Zuko cried out angrily. Naomi didn't flinch. She just looked at him with her face full of question.

"Do you not have any idea what's happening in the world? We are at war. And worse, I'm the son of… I'm related to the royal family." He looked away, ashamed to say so.

"Don't be so sure of what might happen. It is your destiny. And even more, I lived during the war. Remember that. She is me." Zuko still looked unsure. He turned away from her.

"You both have lost a lot. But always remember, there is always more to gain."

"But how will I—" He turned back, but Naomi was gone, "know."

Then there was a breeze behind him. "Trust me, you'll know." Naomi whispered.

Zuko whipped around, but she was gone.

Zuko stood and looked around. He realized that as he stood there she, who ever "she" was, was discovering her destiny, their destiny.

Everything suddenly went white. Zuko started to float. Then everything flashed back and Zuko fell into the water. The pond seemed to be deeper than before. Zuko fell right through it. He kept going down farther and farther, his oxygen level decreasing quickly. Then he saw it, the end. It was solid rock and yet he kept speeding up.

Zuko tried desperately to slow himself, but nothing worked. Zuko braced himself.

"Aaahhhhh!" Zuko sat up quickly breathing hard. He glanced at Iroh still fast asleep.

Zuko calmed himself. He lied down and looked at the stars. In a couple of hours, it would be sunrise. Zuko stood and rolled up his bed roll.

As Zuko nonchalantly looked off into the distance, he noticed a faint glowing light. It was bright blue and couldn't be more than a mile away. He watched as it disappeared and then returned. As his eyes focused on the light he realized it turned into two lights two lights that he had seen once before.

Those lights belonged to the Avatar's eyes when he entered the spirit world. And Zuko remembered, when he was in the spirit world, he was completely immobile. Zuko looked back at hi uncle, then back at the light.

Zuko broke into a run, cutting through the forest towards the lights. The Avatar would not escape this time.

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Like it? Let me know especially you crazy Landakers. OK. The next chapter will be up soon. So keep an eye out. 

SheDevil


	2. Burned Alive

Hey everybody, sorry it took me so long. Here it is! I said this chapter would answer more questions, but really, it leaves you even more confused that before. Sorry about that.

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Katara opened her eyes and wondered were she was. She was floating downward with an eerie darkness all around her. 

She knew this was a dream, and yet, it felt so real. She pinched her self hard, just to make sure. There was no feeling what so ever, so Katara continued to float, with out a care in the world.

Then, the darkness around her suddenly lightened, reveling hundreds of people, all frozen, there last movements recorded for all eternity. Finally, the last bit of black changed into the ground. Katara noticed, most of them were jeering, others yelling angrily, all in the same direction. As Katara examined the people more closely she immediately became frightened. The were all fire nation.

Katara tried to stay afloat but she just kept lazily drifting downward, into a spot in the crowd. She looked over to the stage; she could see was a young woman, with her hands tied behind her back. She did not look afraid, but she had another expression on her face, that Katara could not quite recognize. The girl looked familiar, but without being closer, Katara couldn't place her face on anyone she knew.

Katara kept staring at the girl as she slowly descended, and right before Katara's vision was blocked by the crowd, the woman moved her head to look at Katara.

Katara gasped and again tried to get up to see if that had really happened.

Attempts thwarted, once again, Katara let her self touch on to the ground. Immediately, she wished she hadn't.

The people, every single one of them, had suddenly burst to life. They were yelling loud at the woman on the stage. The woman was brutally thrust forward in to the center of the stage by a large man. She scowled and fell forward. A loud cry of approval came from the crowd.

The man walked to her side, and yanked the woman up by her hair. She bit down on her lower lip in pain, a tear falling from her tightly squeezed eyes.

She was breathing hard, the man through her back down again, her head making contact with the cold hard floor of the stage. Another cry of approval ripped though the crowd.

Katara watch in horror. They were torturing this woman. Katara tried to get somebody's attention. But no one was listening.

Katara was getting frustrated. She turned to the man next to her. "Excuse me! What are they doing to that poor woman?" Katara shouted over the crowd.

The man didn't notice, he just kept yelling. Katara turned the other way to a woman standing next to her. She put her hand on the woman's shoulder. Katara gasped as her hand fell right through the woman's body.

Katara screamed, but nobody could here her. She walked forward, through people. She would just have to find out what was going on by her self. She began to run forward, through people, toward the stage.

Katara was now, about ten yards away from the stage when a loud gong was sounded. The crowd of people fell silent. Katara stopped running to listen.

A man walked out of the palace behind the stage and sat in a very large chair. The sudden silence was followed by the shuffling of bodies.

Everybody around Katara was bowing. Katara stared at the man in hatred; the man was very young Fire Lord Azulon.

Katara watched and people continued to bow, all dropping there heads to the ground. Katara put her hands on her hips and stared at the Fire Lord, challenging him to tell her to do other wise. He looked right through her.

Fire Lord Azulon raised his hand, beckoning the people from the ground. They all stood, but remained silent.

Katara watched as a large man, who had been harassing the woman, unrolled a scroll, and began to read aloud.

"I hereby state that this water tribe peasant had been found guilty of seducing one of our most powerful warriors, drawing him from his post in the front line. She has been found to be pregnant with his child." He stated, reading from the scroll. Katara was beginning to dislike the situation more and more.

The crowd let out yet another cry of anger. One member threw a stone at the woman. Difficultly using her arms, which were still tied behind her back, she bent water out a vase, placed at the far corner of the stage, and used it to stop the rock. As she lowered it, a man came over and kicked her in the side, before lifting her up by her hair, once again.

The audience screamed angrily, but were then silenced by a very sharp flick of Azulon's hand.

Katara could tell, by the look on the woman's face, that she had something to say, but she kept it to her self.

The man cleared his throat, and then read on. "She has been sentenced, to death."

Azulon's hand was still raised, so there was still silence. Katara gasped. She had heard of the fire nation going over board with punishment, but this was just insane.

The man continued, rolling up the scroll. He challengingly addressed the woman. "Because you obviously love the Fire Nation so much, you shall be burned alive."

Azulon dropped his hand as the maiden was thrust forward to a large wooden pole.

Katara ran toward the stage, she had to do something. The man reading the scroll tried the woman to the post. Three firebenders lined up and lit there hands preparing to light the pole.

Azulon gave the signal and the girl was instantly engulfed in flames. Katara jumped up onto the stage. She needed some water… and quick. The vase!

The woman had waterbended out of the vase. Katara looked; there was just enough water to put the flames out. Katara looked at the pole and bent the water out of the vase onto the fire… at least she though she had.

Katara looked at the vase and all the water still remained. She tried again and again. Still nothing happened. The crowd's screams got louder.

Katara covered her ears and closed her eyes. She wished it was gone.

And then, as the crowd's screams were washed away with the wind, it was. She looked around her. A swamp like area surrounded her. She looked around into a complete circle.

She breathed out a thankful sigh that the madness was gone.

"Welcome to my nightmare." A voice nonchalantly spoke from behind her.

The hair on Katara's neck stood straight up. Katara whipped around to come face to face with the woman who had just been burned alive. Katara breathed a heavy sigh. She was hallucinating, the entire death had just been a dream; but if that was the dream, then where was she know. . The area was a large and desolate swamp. An eerie silence filled the air, all except for the occasional screeching or chirp.

Katara turned back to the woman, "Um… where are—"? The woman was gone. Katara looked around in confusion.

She huffed and was about to go explore, to try and find the woman, when she felt a string hand on her back. She whipped around.

There was a man, his hair grown out long, but into a bun in the middle of his head. Her eye's traveled down to his body. He was in simple earth peasant clothes, his arms were uncovered. On his left arm was a prolonged scar, which stretched from his wrist to his elbow, and was about half an inch thick.

Her eyes found there way back to his face. He was very handsome, Katara could feel herself blushing. She looked into his eyes and backed away at what she saw. They were a deep color of Amber. He was fire nation.

She backed away and raised her hands into her fighting position. She tried to bend the water from the swamp, but none of it came up. She looked from the water to the man, horror in her eyes. How could she protect herself if she lost her ability?

The man spoke, "Katara, there is no bending in the Spirit World."

Katara was confused at which she was more terrified of; the fact that she new her name, or the fact that she was completely helpless if he decided to attack.

She tried her best to not show any fear. "Who are you, and how do you know my name? she demanded.

He smiled, apparently unthreatened. She scowled, ever so slightly, to show she was not afraid.

He continued to smile. "My name is Hideki. I know your name, because I know your last life."

She eyed him suspiciously. Should she trust him… did she have any other choice? Well as long as he was answering questions, she intended to ask them.

"What do you mean by "last life"? I thought only the Avatar had multiple lives." Katara was very curious. At the same time, she was angry that this idiot fire nation citizen could get her attention in any way.

The man chuckled, "You are just like Naomi, full of questions."

Now Katara was really confused. Who was this Naomi he spoke of?

"She is talking to _him_ right now, so when she comes, she will explain everything. I promise. She was always better at telling the story then I was." He laughed again.

"Talking about me behind my back again, Hideki?" The woman had appeared behind the man in a flash. She walked over to Katara, who stood cautiously.

She leaned forward to get a good look at her. "Pretty, this one." Naomi said.

"Of course she is," Hideki challenged, "She's you."

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Like it? Yes, No, Not Sure? That's O.K. BE HONEST! ttyl 

SheDevil


	3. The Begining Of Their Story

Hello everyone! Sorry about not updating in a while. Oh and sorry about the crappy oneshot I submitted this moring. Ugg. Well my dog almost died last night, so I couldn't sleep. So I wrote. About 95 of this chapter is a flashback. Sorry abou that. Also this in not the end of the flashback, but I have to clean my room and I wanted to give you all something. Anyway. Here it is. Enjoy. :P

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Naomi stuck her tongue out at Hideki. Then they both shared a laugh before she turned back to Katara.

Katara's eyes widened as she cam face to face with herself. She looked the woman up and down. True she was Katara, but an older version, maybe eighteen or more. But she still held Katara's beauty. Katara felt herself toying with basic features on her own face and body as if she was looking in the mirror.

She woman smiled sweetly and mischievously, a smile that Katara was known by her friends and family for. "Hello, my name is Naomi."

Katara did not know exactly what to do. She hesitated and then bowed.

"Uh, nice to meet you…?" She muttered on her way back up.

"Alright, lets get down to business." Naomi said nonchalantly and placed her hand on Katara's shoulder.

In a split second, everything was black, and Hideki and Naomi were nowhere to be seen.

Katara watched as, in one fluid motion, the blackness melted away into a small road leading toward the fire nation. Her first thought was to run in the opposite direction, but she was curious.

Up the road came two burly men shoving someone along. She looked to be a young girl. Katara gasped and noticed that it was Naomi, but at her age. The men kicked and laugh as she fell to the ground in a heap.

She was in pain, but she was not particularly concerned. She looked bored, but still a little scared.

One of the men lifted her by the color of her shirt with one of his rough hands, grabbing a fistful of hair in the process, causing Naomi to wince in pain.

"Hey, why should we take her to the city?" the one holding her asked. "Why don't we just finish her of now?"

The other one chuckled. By the looks of his clothes, Katara could tell that he was the one in charge. "Well, those are our orders… but under that tired old Azulon's rule, it has been a while before we have gotten to torture some poor defenseless prisoner.

The other one laughed. "Then maybe we can have a little fun with her, eh?"

The bigger one became very angry then and punched the man next to him so hard that he dropped the shivering Naomi to the ground. He yelled out in rage, "Have some fun? You really think we should dirty ourselves with this Water tribe filth?"

The man recovered and stepped toward the leader. He dropped his head, "No sir."

Naomi had been being so brave but she was done. She was exhausted and in pain. After a minute her face was covered with tears. She opened her eyes and looked right at Katara. He eyes widened in hope and confusion.

Katara herself was confused, until she noticed that the figure she looked at was not Katara but standing right behind her.

A man dressed completely in black from head to toe, with only his eyes visible was walking toward them very fluidly and with a purpose.

The two burly men were still arguing and did not see him until it was too late. Naomi gasped and let out a sigh of relief. As the man neared, the men noticed Naomi's crying had stopped. They began jeering at her to get up. She just laid there. When the men had no response, the smaller one took a swing at her.

The man in black came out of nowhere, catching the man's fist and throwing it hard in the direction away from Naomi, leaving his side totally exposed. The man in black jabbed him hard with a sharp elbow, causing him to double over and fall. When the man rose he stepped back and aloud the bigger man to take charge. The man lifted a sword out of its holster. He pointed it at the man in black threateningly.

Katara was surprised as the man in black took of running at warp speed back into the trees from which he had come.

She scoffed. Had he just run away from the battle? Naomi let out a breath of disbelieve as well.

The bigger man leaned over Naomi with him sword pointing at her. "You are way to much trouble then we bargained for." He swung the sword downward.

Out of nowhere the trees lit up with flames just as a huge fireball blasted into the man before the sword was even halfway down. Then man flew five feet or so then got up painfully.

The man in black was now wearing a long scarf like garment that had little daggers sticking out of it in a straight line.

He ran at the largest man, kicking him in the chest and, literally (with the help of the daggers) pinned him to a tree.

The smaller man saw this and took off running.

The man in black pulled his hood and mask down. It was Hideki. He slowly lowered himself next to Naomi. Seeing his amber eyes, she frowned in concern. "You're from the fire nation. But then why would you help me? You're one of them…," She trailed off.

Hideki got very close to her and whispered. "I might be from the fire nation, but you will soon find, I am nothing like them." He smiled.

Hideki scooped her up into his arms, and Naomi, thankful for the warmth, curled up against his chest. She smiled.

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So let me know your thoughts, angry or otherwise. :P I keep thinking that this chaper is the begining of the end, and it is... but it's also the begining of something else. So It's like the begining of the end leading to another begining, and many more in year to come. -crazy right?

SheDevil


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